


Red

by chicafrom3



Category: Rent - Larson
Genre: Drug Addiction, Dysfunctional Relationships, F/M, Metaphors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-01-26
Updated: 2006-01-26
Packaged: 2017-10-18 03:46:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/184631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chicafrom3/pseuds/chicafrom3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How Roger remembers his girls.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nikiness](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=nikiness).



April was red, and that was how Roger would forever remember her.  
Red hair and red dresses and her favorite red marker and red nail polish, long nails painted bright red holding a baggie of snow white powder.  
Red marks on pale skin from a rubber band wrapped around her arm, red blood seeping out after the needle withdrew...  
April was frantic movement and blurred colors and New York slurs.  
They shot each other up with heroin and they had sex, and sometimes the sex was more important but usually it was the drugs.  
Mark and Maureen were sex; Roger and April were heroin.

April was red, and that was how Roger would forever remember her.  
Red blood that filled a tiny dingy bathroom, red blood that stained porcelain white skin, red blood that filled his sight.  
Red marker on a yellow Post-It note.  
Three words in bright, smeared red.  
 _We've got AIDS._  
April was violent slashes and empty words and broken promises.  
He cried himself sick in Mark’s bedroom and tried to overdose the next day.  
Mark and Maureen were life; Roger and April were dead.

Mimi was blue, and that was how Roger would forever remember her.  
Blue jacket and blue scarves and blue from cold and blue nail polish, long fingers with nails painted pale blue resting lightly on his arm.  
Blue bruises on dark skin from hands too rough, blue veins abused and recovering...  
Mimi was smooth movement and muted colors and Spanish charm.  
He held her as she shook from the withdrawal, and he finished his song for her.  
Collins and Angel were tragedy; Maureen and Joanne were ice; Roger and Mimi were fire.


End file.
